I rushed home at 3 AM. The moment water sprayed from the showerhead, I knew the temperature was wrong. My husband, Captain Lucas Thomas, was an instructor at the military academy. He was strong, fit, and always took cold showers. But today, the water was hot. “Finally decided to warm things up for me?” I asked him. He paused, then gave a playful salute. “Copy that, ma’am. Won’t forget again.” I smiled. As I stepped toward the shower, I saw two overlapping handprints on the glass door. On the floor lay a strand of dark, glossy hair. It was not mine. It was obvious. My husband was cheating. And he had brought her into our bathroom for…sex! I fought back nausea and sent a photo to my cousin Brooke at the academy. “Dark hair. Around five three. Find her. Fifty grand.” She replied instantly. “I’ll drag that bitch out myself!” Staring at those overlapping handprints, I could almost see them there. For five years of marriage, Lucas Thomas had been perfect. He came from a military family, was charming, and treated me like his only mission. No matter what, I never thought it would come to this. My phone chimed softly. checked it almost without thinking. It was a photo from my cousin, Brooke. Lucas stood surrounded by students, a girl crouched in front of him. She was petite, with long hair, a youthful face, and wide, round eyes. Even through the grainy photo, her radiant youth was unmistakable. She was smiling, head tilted, gazing up at Lucas with open adoration. I took a sharp breath, but the air was cold as needles, piercing my lungs and making my chest burn. Brooke’s messages kept coming. “That’s Summer Hayes. A senior in the Medical School’s surgery program. She’s in Lucas’s class this semester.” “Disgusting. Just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover.” I swiftly transferred the money to her. “Don’t do anything reckless. I’ll handle this myself.” By the time Lucas woke up, I had already composed my expression. He looked at the dark circles under my eyes, his face full of concern. “Didn’t sleep well last night?” How I wanted to just blurt out Summer’s name. But in the end, I just gave a slight smile. “No, jet lag’s hitting me hard.” Lucas gently pushed me back onto the bed and pressed a kiss on my forehead. “I shouldn’t have bothered you last night. Get some more sleep; I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.” Still the perfect Lucas Thomas. It wasn’t until we were sitting at the dining table that his hurried movements made me pause, and I couldn’t help but ask. “Don’t you have the day off today?” “There’s a drill at the medical department. I need to oversee it.” Lucas quickly finished his breakfast and stood up to leave. But I spoke softly. “Are you forgetting what day it is?” He froze, glanced at the date, and immediately looked remorseful. “I forgot, Ava. I’m so sorry, we said I’d go with you to visit your father’s grave.” “But the medical department drill was scheduled a long time ago…” A cold laugh echoed in my heart. “You go. I actually want to talk to my dad alone today anyway.” Lucas immediately rushed off to the academy. After quickly visiting the cemetery, I coincidentally arrived as the medical department was conducting a first-aid drill on the sports field. Lucas blew a whistle. “Alright, everyone, find a partner and practice your first-aid techniques.” Students quickly paired up, but one girl was left standing alone in the center. Teasing shouts rose from around them. “Instructor, who’s gonna give Summer CPR?” “Who else? If it were anyone else, wouldn’t the Instructor absolutely lose it?!” Amidst the laughter, Summer made a face at her classmates. “ou’re all perverts! My conscience is clear, I have nothing to hide!” “It was just a trauma assessment drill! Totally innocent, okay?!” Lucas cleared his throat. “Alright, alright, it’s just a demonstration, don’t fuss!” With that, he gestured for Summer to lie down in front of him. Then, he actually bent down and kissed her lips!
In an instant, my whole body went cold. My gaze was locked onto Lucas Thomas. He casually stood up, his hands clasped and pressed onto Summer Hayes’s chest. “After artificial respiration, you need to apply pressure rhythmically…” A mischief-maker laughed loudly. “Summer, didn’t you say CPR was pure?” “Why are you blushing so much?” Summer, lying on the ground, shot back. “You’d blush too if Lucas touched you, wouldn’t you be gutted if he hadn’t?” Amidst the uproarious laughter, Lucas didn’t defend himself. Instead, he flashed a doting smile. My fingers gripped the steering wheel, trembling uncontrollably. I waited until dinner time to finally spot Summer. She was giggling and playing around with her roommates, their laughter audible from afar. “He invited you to dinner and you didn’t go? Why are you playing innocent, Summer!” “What do you know? Summer’s just playing hard to get!” Summer coughed, transparently trying to deny it. “That’s not true! I’m not close with him, don’t spread rumors!” I couldn’t help but sneer. Not close? Not close enough to roll around in my bathroom, on my bed. If they were close, would they invite me to watch them get a room? I avoided the crowd and walked straight to a table opposite theirs. My makeup, hair, and clothing – Summer knew at a glance I wasn’t a student. A flicker of nervousness crossed her eyes, then she smiled. “Who are you? The cafeteria isn’t crowded; we don’t need to share a table, do we?” I ignored her feigned ignorance and stated directly. “Summer Hayes, you must know that Lucas Thomas is my husband, right?” Lucas was thirty. Most men his age were married, unless they were not interested in women or had a serious illness. Not to mention, our wedding photo hung above our bed. I refused to believe Summer was some innocent young girl. Her roommates instantly fell silent. Summer, however, maintained a clueless expression. “Is there something I can help you with?” Seeing that I didn’t speak, she then feigned sudden realization. “Did you perhaps see our CPR drill? You might not understand, but it was just a very legitimate exercise.” Who was she trying to mock with those words? Did she think I was a jobless, clueless housewife? I gave a soft laugh. “You’re in clinical medicine? As a senior, you must have taken ‘Surgery.’ Turn to the cardiovascular section. My name is on the editorial board..” “I’m Dr. Ava Reed. Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery.” “I look forward to the day you intern in my department.” Summer’s face paled. My gaze fell on her wrist, where a stunning bracelet, smooth and shimmering, made from a beautiful, polished stone, gleamed softly. “Nice bracelet,” I said casually. “But that’s my father’s heirloom. I’d appreciate it if you’d return it.” Summer looked up in disbelief. Her lips trembled, and her face flushed crimson. In the end, I retrieved this old item, which I had once believed lost. Four years ago, my father passed away after a serious illness. Before he left, he pressed the bracelet into my hand. “Ava, this bracelet is an ancient heirloom of our family.” “Lucas loves you enough. This bracelet is for you to pass down. Your dad will die without regret…” At the time, Lucas’s eyes were red, and he swore he would take good care of me. But I had lost this bracelet and regretted it for a whole year. I could barely eat or sleep. Lucas comforted me, promising to buy me more beautiful jewelry. I never imagined that he had already been messing around with Summer so early on. Summer liked my bracelet, and he just gave it to her! When I arrived home, I had just finished extracting the dash cam footage and was getting out of my car. Lucas stormed over, his face filled with impatience. “You went to the academy today?” “Ava Reed, why didn’t you talk to me directly? Why did you humiliate Summer in front of so many people?” “Do you think you’re acting like a normal adult?”
I didn’t back down an inch, looking up at him and saying coldly. “Oh? How interesting. So, Summer isn’t an adult?” “I recall she’s a senior, but she does look quite underage.” “Didn’t realize you liked that type. Must be thrilling to mess around, perfectly legal and all…” Lucas’s pupils contracted. He raised his hand and harshly slapped me, cutting off my unfinished words. My head snapped to the side, and the taste of blood immediately filled my mouth. “Ava!” Even though he was the one who hit me, his cry sounded incredibly heartbroken and pained. Lucas’s face was full of remorse. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, but you shouldn’t say such things to a student!” I laughed. Without another word, smack, I slapped him back. “Lucas Thomas,” I said coldly, “she’s your student, not mine.” “To me, she’s a homewrecker who interfered in my marriage, a thief who stole my father’s heirloom. Got a problem with that?” Lucas’s face instantly changed, his eyes sharp as razors. “I’m saying it again, Summer is not a mistress!” “Ava Reed, where’s your trust in me? Why have you become so disgusting!” A lump caught in my throat; I was about to tell him to get lost. But then the front door opened. Summer poked her head in, saying playfully. “Instructor, please don’t fight with Ava because of me anymore. I came to apologize.” She bowed gracefully towards me. “It was raining heavily before, and I came to Instructor’s house to change clothes. I thought that bracelet wasn’t worth anything, so I just took it casually.” “Ava, please don’t blame him. He didn’t give it to me; I apologize to you.” Lucas’s gaze softened, and he stroked her head. “It’s not your fault, Summer. I didn’t make things clear.” Watching this scene unfold before me. My face turned green, and I felt on the verge of throwing up. Taking something without permission is theft. How dare Lucas forgive her on my behalf? He roughly pushed me aside and spoke gently to Summer. “I’ll handle my own family matters, Summer. You’ve already apologized; don’t get involved.” “I’ll take you back.” Watching his car speed away, I trembled with rage. Just then, my phone chimed with a text from Brooke. “Sis, did you go see Summer yesterday?” “Everyone on the campus gossip site is trashing you right now!” I opened the two screenshots she sent, and in an instant, my blood ran cold. “BIG SCANDAL! Dr. Reed, Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at a prestigious hospital, bullying innocent female student! Word is, this woman is notorious for being harsh on interns; future junior doctors, good luck to you! Is that old hag just jealous of a young, pretty girl? Can’t keep her own man, so she takes it out on students?” The text was highly inflammatory. In just a few words, it painted me as a psychologically disturbed, menopausal old woman. Brooke’s call came immediately. “Did you see it? That little bitch Summer must be behind this!” “I know,” I interrupted her, my voice unnaturally calm. “Brooke, do me a favor. Trace the IP addresses of the posters and dig up all the dirt on Summer Hayes for me.” It was just a public opinion war. When I was pulling these kinds of tricks, Summer wasn’t even in elementary school yet!
As I expected, Summer Hayes’s internship was assigned to me. Regardless of personal feelings, I wouldn’t neglect any student when it came to teaching. During an emergency surgery I was leading, I routinely arranged for interns to observe. And I specifically assigned Summer to be the instrument assistant. “Why me?” she mumbled softly, her tone clearly resentful. “Dr. Reed, isn’t this an abuse of power?” I glanced at her through my sterile mask. “If your scholarship is based on merit, then you should prove it in practice.” The surgery reached a critical step. I gave the instruction for a 2.5mm balloon. But Summer, fumbling nervously, handed me a 3mm one! “Wrong size! Vasopressor, now!” I barked the order, immediately directing the team to compensate. After the surgery, we exited the operating room. Summer followed me, her face deathly pale. I stared at her, enunciating each word. “In cardiothoracic surgery, you are literally holding lives in your hands. Any minor mistake can lead to a major disaster.” “The carelessness and incompetence you displayed today can kill patients in a clinical setting!” Summer’s body swayed, tears instantly welling up in her eyes. “Ava Reed! Do you have to be like this?!” Lucas Thomas’s voice, laced with anger, came from the doorway. He strode in quickly, placing himself in front of Summer without a moment’s hesitation. “She’s still a student! It’s normal to be nervous and make mistakes the first time! Who hasn’t been there?” “Do you really need to use such harsh words to attack her? Are you teaching, or just using this as an excuse to make trouble?” I looked at this man, my husband, who once stood by my side. Now, he was twisting facts for another woman, challenging my professional ethics. My heart sank into an icy pond, completely numb. “Instructor Thomas,” I used his formal title. “There is no room for error in surgery. As her supervising doctor, it is my duty to point out her critical mistakes.” “Duty? I think you’re mixing business with your personal vendetta!” Lucas’s anger flared even more. He grabbed Summer’s wrist. “Summer, let’s go! We won’t stand for her abuse here!” He left furiously, with a tear-streaked Summer in tow. Several interns looked at me with a mixture of fear and dissatisfaction. Just then, my phone rang. I put it on speaker directly. Brooke’s clear voice was exceptionally audible. “Sis, the IP addresses for the posts slandering you have all been traced! The source is Summer’s dorm!” “I’ve also posted the evidence online, and it’s going viral fast. And I sent copies to the military academy’s oversight office and the faculty complaint box.” I acknowledged with a hum and hung up the phone. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Those who had just been looking at me with questioning eyes were now all staring down at their phones in shock. Soon, a commotion erupted outside. Several people stormed in angrily, led by the girl who had previously teased Summer and Lucas-Summer’s best friend. She pointed her phone camera at my face and shouted furiously. “Dr. Reed! What do you mean by this?!” “Even if Summer made a mistake, do you have to be so extreme, trying to completely ruin her? And you reported the Instructor too!” “Just because you and Instructor Thomas have issues, others aren’t allowed to silently care, to truly love? You’re just jealous!” After her passionate accusations. Several interns also became indignant. “Apologize! You falsely accused a female student of being a homewrecker, aren’t you shameless?!” “Go find Summer! Hundreds of thousands of viewers in the livestream are waiting for her to confront you face-to-face!” I gave a slight smile. “Summer? Fine, I know where she is.” I led these young people directly to a little-known fire escape staircase. The closer we got, the clearer the indecent sounds became. It was Summer’s breathless purr. “Instructor Thomas, how do I compare to that old hag Ava?” Immediately followed by Lucas Thomas’s lust-filled grunt. “She’s not even worth one of your fingers. I’ll divorce her soon!” “Summer, if you get pregnant this time, don’t get rid of it. I only want children from you…” Outside the staircase, there was dead silence. I took my time. Watching their faces turn pale, then green, completely stunned. The livestream instantly exploded!
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